Whether you are looking quick cash or just move on, there are many different options to choose from!
Whether you're looking to cash out, upgrade, downsize, or move on from yacht ownership altogether, there are several paths you can take. Selling a yacht can be complex. These are high-value assets with a smaller, more exclusive buyer pool, which means it can take months—or even longer—to find the right buyer.
If you're ready to speed up the process and get the best return, here’s what to consider:
Pricing your yacht correctly is the single most important factor in getting it sold. Too high, and serious buyers will walk away. Too low, and you’ll leave money on the table or raise red flags.
Start by reviewing comparable listings on sites like YachtWorld or Boat Trader, paying attention to condition, features, engine hours, and year. Brokers can also be a great resource, ask what’s keeping similar yachts from selling and how they’d approach pricing yours. While tools like NADA and BUC provide ballpark figures, they often don’t reflect actual market value.
Finally, factor in the cost of ownership if your yacht sits unsold for another few months. This will help guide how competitively you should price it from day one.
Presentation plays a huge role in perceived value. A clean, well-staged yacht not only sells faster but can fetch a higher offer. Basic detailing, decluttering, and removing personal items before showing or photographing your yacht will instantly improve its appeal.
If possible, be ready to speak confidently about your vessel’s systems, maintenance history, and any recent upgrades. A pre-sale survey can also boost buyer confidence, especially for remote or international interest.
Listing your yacht is more than uploading a few photos to Facebook. Yes, social platforms and forums like The Hull Truth can be helpful—but premium buyers are browsing specialized channels. Consider placing your yacht in a high-traffic marina or near a major waterway to attract organic attention.
Sell It Yourself
Going solo gives you control, but it also means managing everything: pricing, marketing, sea trials, surveys, paperwork, and more. If you're experienced and patient, this can work—but it’s not for everyone.
Hire a Broker
Brokers can be helpful, especially for high-end vessels. They handle marketing, negotiations, and buyer screenings, typically for a 10% commission. Just be sure to vet their experience, marketing strategy, and whether they accept trade-ins—which can open up more buyer opportunities.
Wholesale Your Yacht
If time is a priority, selling to a yacht wholesaler like We Buy Yachts offers the fastest path forward. We provide cash offers within days, no listing fees, no waiting, and no back-and-forth with buyers. While wholesale offers are typically below market value, many sellers find they come out ahead once they factor in holding costs, commissions, and stress.
If you are ready to sell your boat and move on quicker than the other methods, which can take months- then wholesale might be the choice for you. In this option, a company will pay cash for your boat after inspecting the vessel. This can be done with boats and yachts of any size. The only foreseeable problem here is that the wholesaler must pay under market value in order to make it worth their while. However, once accounting for the brokerage fees and cost of ownership for several months, wholesale can result in about the same amount of money going into your pocket, but in a much more timely manner. The key to selling your boat to a wholesaler is to do your research and find a reputable and ethical company. A company like this will not be trying to take advantage of you, but rather make the deal worthwhile for both parties, sellers, and buyers.
To conclude, there is no “right” way to sell your boat but there are advantages and disadvantages to each method which have been explained to you in order to help you with selling your current boat. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to reach out to us!
Don’t hesitate to contact us and get your questions answered.
You can call us or use our online form. Our local We Buy Yachts representative will set up an appointment to meet you and see your boat. Often on smaller vessels, you’ll receive a cash offer on the spot, sight unseen and we can close as quick as one week.
We buy motor yachts, express cruisers, flybridge yachts, sport yachts, and similar power-driven vessels. We focus on yachts valued between $150,000 and $5MM, model year 2000 or newer. We do not purchase sailboats or non-motorized vessels.
Our price is good for 7 days, with no pressure to sell.
We follow a quick and simple process that makes selling easy! First, we need a little information about your yacht. You can give us that information by calling our number or filling out one of our contact forms on the website. Next, receive a quick CASH offer. Our We Buy Yachts representative will contact you to arrange a time for a local representative to visit the boat. If the condition of the boat checks out you’ll will receive a cash offer for your boat. You are under no obligation to accept our cash offer. Lastly, if you do want to move forward we’ll set up a closing time that works for you, so you can get your cash and move on as quickly as possible.
Yes. You can sell your boat entirely online and have it safely picked up contact-free anywhere in the North Atlantic or Pacific Ocean.
Once the yachtt checks out and our purchase and sales agreement has been signed we can wire you the money or send you a check via mail with the tracking information.
If you have a lien/mortgage on your vessel/trailer, provide us with your bank's information using our Payoff Verification form so we can pay off the vessel(s) and the title will be sent to us after payment. We will then disburse the remaining funds to you after closing (if any).
See what we specialize in and how we do it
We want to make the wholesaling process as seamless as possible.
Wholesaling is the fastest way to receive quick cash for your yacht. Why wait?
